1The mission of Christ to the Gentiles: his meekness and constancy. 5God's promise to him. 10An exhortation to praise God for his gospel. 13God will no longer forbear to manifest himself, and check idolatry. 18Israel reproved and punished for their incredulity.
1BEHOLD1 my servant, 2whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth;a Ib have put 3my spirit upon him: 4he shall 5bring forth judgment to 6the Gentiles.
1 This God the Father speaks of His Son Christ, Whom He calls His Servant, in regard that Christ, as our Mediator, took upon Him the form of a servant. Compare Isa. 53:11; Mat. 12:18; Philip. 2:6, 7, 8.
2 That is, Whom I strengthen, that He faint not under the intolerable burden of My wrath, which He must feel and endure a long time, to blot out and make atonement for your sins, for which He has delivered up Himself.
a Mat. 3:17; 17:5; Eph. 1:6.
b Isa. 11:2; John 3:34.
3 Namely, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which He has need of to execute the office of Mediator. See Isa. 11:2; Mat. 3:16.
4 That is, He shall propound unto the Gentiles the true doctrine concerning the salvation of men by the preaching of the Holy Gospel, and shall thereby bring them to His obedience, and to their salvation.
5 Namely, out of the bosom of the Father, John 1:18. This He shall do, partly in His own Person, partly by His apostles and other teachers or ministers of the Holy Gospel.
6 Or, the nations, as well Jews as Gentiles. See Rom. 1:16.
2He shall not 7cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
7 Or, call, shout. See Mat. 12:19. The sense is: He shall not boast much, nor make a great noise with much tumult, as do the princes of this world; neither shall He make any outward pomp or stir, but He shall carry Himself quietly, discreetly and humbly, bearing graciously with all the infirmities and imperfections of His elect. See Mat. 12:18, 19, 20; Luke 17:20.
38A bruised reed shall he not break, and 9the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall 10bring forth judgment 11unto truth.
8 That is, He shall bear patiently with the infirmities of poor sinners, and He will refresh their dejected or wounded conscience, and comfort them with the promise of the forgiveness of their sins. See Psalm 34:18; Mat. 11:28.
9 That is, the wick, which is almost burnt up in the lamp, giving hereby very little glimmer or light, but only yet smoking.
10 Or, execute, and consequently overcome or conquer, as truth and judgment do conquer at last. See Mat. 12:20.
11 That is, uprightly, faithfully, for, truth signifies here faithfulness.
412He shall not fail nor be 13discouraged, 14till he have set 15judgment in the earth: and 16the isles shall wait for his 17law.
12 But He shall give light and shine, clear and bright. Christ’s light is contrasted to the smoking and smothering flax, and His power to the bruised reed. Other, he shall not faint, namely, in the execution of His office, Mat. 26:39; Luke 12:50. The same is later said in other words. Some understand the words fail and discouraged of the death and passion of our Lord Christ, which would not come to pass before He had preached the Gospel according to His Father’s counsel.
13 That is, He shall not faint under the heavy burden of His office.
14 Namely, by the preaching of the Holy Gospel throughout the entire world; which could not be done until Christ had died, and was ascended unto His Father in heaven, and had sent the Holy Ghost upon the apostles. See John 16:7.
15 That is, the doctrine, as follows later.
16 In these words the prophet shows the doctrine of the Holy Gospel should not be always shut up within the bounds of the land of the Jews, Gen. 49:10; Mat. 28:19.
17 This is the same which he just now called judgment, namely, the Gospel.
5¶Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched 18them out; he that 19spread forth the earth, and that 20which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and 21spirit to them that walk therein:
18 Hebr. the spreaders abroad thereof; or, those that spread them abroad. See Job 36:29.
19 Namely, round about.
20 Hebr. the issues thereof, that is, everything that buds forth and grows out of the earth.
21 Understand here by spirit the reasonable soul. See Num. 16 on verse 22.
6I the LORD have 22called 23thee 24in righteousness, and 25will hold thine hand, and 26will keep thee, and give thee 27for a covenant of the people, 28for a light of the Gentiles;
22 Namely, to be a Mediator.
23 O My Son Jesus Christ.
24 Or, with righteousness, that is, in due manner, for Thou hast freely and willingly given Thyself over to the office of a Mediator. See Psalm 40:8; Heb. 10:7. Or, with righteousness, that is, according to My promises, which I have often made unto My people by the patriarchs and prophets.
25 That is, I will assist Thee, by giving Thee necessary strength and ability for the executing of Thy office of Mediator.
26 In order that Thou shalt not be oppressed before the appointed time, and also that Thou shalt not faint in the exceeding great torment.
27 That is, for a Mediator of the covenant, namely, of the Covenant of Grace which I made with Abraham and his seed. This covenant Thou shalt affirm, namely, in order that by Thee My people shall be reconciled unto Me, and consequently all nations shall be united in one covenant, not only the Israelites, but also the Gentiles, as immediately follows.
28 That is, that Thou enlightenest them with the saving knowledge of God and of their Savior, whereby the elect among all nations shall be made to rejoice; for, as the light rejoices and comforts the bodies of men, so does the knowledge of Christ rejoice the hearts and minds of the children of God inwardly. Compare Isa. 9:2; 49:6; Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47; 16:34.
729To open 30the blind eyes, to 31bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in 32darkness out of the prison house.
29 Namely, by the preaching of the Holy Gospel and the enlightenment of the Holy Ghost. See Acts 13:46, 47; 26:17, 18.
30 Namely, the eyes of the understanding. See Isa. 35:5.
31 Namely, from the spiritual bondage of sin and of the devil, thus freeing and delivering the elect from the fear and terror of hell. See Isa. 49:9; 61:1; Luke 4:18; Heb. 2:14, 15.
32 Understand here the darkness of ignorance. See Isa. 9:2.
8I am 33the LORD: that is my name: and myc glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
33 Hebr. Jehovah, that is, the everlasting, the express image, unchangeable God.
c Isa. 48:11.
9Behold, 34the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
34 The meaning is: Whatsoever I declared unto My people in former time, the same is fulfilled; now I declare unto them some new thing, which also assuredly shall come to pass, namely, the appearance of the Messiah in the flesh, which shall be fulfilled exactly in every point and circumstance thereof, as I have foretold it by My prophets.
10Singd unto the LORD 35a new song, and his praise 36from the end of the earth, ye 37that go down to the sea, and 38all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
d Psalm 33:3.
35 That is, an excellent song. See Psalm 33:3.
36 That is, ye who dwell in the utmost ends of the world, all men of whatsoever condition or nations ye are, forasmuch as the salvation, which the Messiah brings, concerns all kinds of people and nations, therefore all people and nations have just cause to rejoice and to be glad in Him.
37 Hebr. that descend upon the sea, namely, in the ships which shall sail upon the sea.
38 Ye men altogether who dwell in the isles, which lie round about in the sea. Hebr. the fullness thereof, as Psalm 24:1.
11Let the wilderness and 39the cities thereof lift up their voice, 40the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let 41the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout 42from the top of the mountains.
39 That is, the cities which are situated in or near unto it.
40 That is, the villages of the Kedarenes, that is, the Arabians , also called after Kedar, the son of Ishmael, Gen. 25:13; Psalm 120:5.
41 Other, that dwell at Sela, which is the capital city of Arabia. See Isa. 16:1.
42 Hebr. from the head of the mountains.
12Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
1343The LORD 44shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, 45roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
43 Namely, Jesus Christ.
44 That is, He will make His Divine power appear when He shall conquer the devil and the world by His preaching, His death, His resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of His Father, and coming again to judgment.
45 Some conceive that the Hebrew word signifies crying, roaring or bellowing as the elephants.
1446I have long time holden my peace; 47I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
46 These are the words of God. As if He said: This indeed hath been My custom and course of old, that I left My church and the enemies of My church alone for a long time.
47 Or, should I longer hold my peace? Should I still refrain myself?
1548I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
48 That is, I will destroy the great and proud enemies of My church, and I will remove all impediments that may hinder or hurt My believers from coming to Me into heaven.
16And I will 49bring 50the blind 51by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crookede things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
49 Namely, by My Spirit and by the preaching of the Holy Gospel.
50 That is, those who in former time knew not the true God, but erred and went astray from Him and His doctrine, and stuck fast in great blindness of ignorance and idolatry.
51 That is, by the way of heavenly and saving truth and godliness.
e Isa. 40:3, 4.
17¶They shall be turned back, they shall be 52greatly ashamed,f that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.
52 That is, be utterly confounded.
f Psalm 97:7; Isa. 1:29; 44:11; 45:16.
1853Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
53 Here the LORD addresses the Jews, who were willfully deaf and blind, not desiring to hear His Word with attention, or to consider His works and judgments.
19Who is blind, but 54my servant? or deaf, as 55my messenger 56that I sent? who is blind as he that is 57perfect, and blind as the LORD's servant?
54 That is, the people of Israel, to whom I have revealed My will, and whom I have called to serve Me according unto it, as Isa. 41:8, and later again in this verse.
55 The priests and Levites, by whom God made His will known unto the people.
56 Namely, to instruct My people.
57 Or, complete one, that is, the people of Israel, to whom I have shown many great mercies both spiritual and corporal, in order that they did not lack anything; from which they should have seen and acknowledged how faithfully and surely I meant it toward them.
20Seeing 58many things, but thoug observest not; 59opening the ears, 60but he heareth not.
58 Namely, many wonderful works of God, which He does for your good.
g Rom. 2:2, etc.
59 Or, though he opens the ears, namely, the servant of the Lord, that is, the people of Israel. The sense is: This people does outwardly so demean and carry themselves, as if they had a mind to hear My Word, but they mean it not in good earnest, they do not, nor are seriously affected, take to heart the things that they hear. In the first clause of this verse there is spoken to the second person; but in the second clause of the third person. This implies some obscurity or darkness in the sense.
60 That is, he minds it not.
21The LORD is 61well pleased 62for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify 63the law, and make it honourable.
61 Namely, in His servant, that is, in His people, or, in them, namely, these men. Some apply it to the law and the execution of God’s judgments upon this sinful people.
62 That is, by reason of His truth and faithfulness, namely, because He promised the patriarchs that He would do good unto their seed. See Psalm 31 on verse 1.
63 Namely, which He had given them by Moses. See Deut. 4:6; Psalm 147:19, 20.
22But 64this is 65a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and 66none delivereth; for a spoil, and 67none saith, Restore.
64 Namely, the people of Israel. Other, he is, namely, the Lord’s servant, as verse 19. Others thus: and that people is robbed and spoiled; all the young men sigh, or, they sigh all of them in dens or holes of the earth.
65 The meaning is: God has delivered this people into the hands of their enemies, because they considered not His grace and mercy.
66 Hebr. there is no deliverer.
67 That is, there is none who defends or protects them, or who compels their enemies to restore that which they took away from them.
23Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear 68for the time to come?
68 For, the judgments and plagues of God, which do here in this life befall impenitent sinners, they are but the beginnings of their sorrows, if they do not consider and repent in time, and with confession of their sins say: Who gave Jacob, etc., verse 24.
24Who gave 69Jacob for a spoil, and 70Israel to the robbers? 71did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
69 That is, the posterity of Jacob, the Israelites.
70 That is, the posterity of Jacob, the Israelites.
71 That is, it is certain that the Lord, for our sins, has delivered us and our goods into their hands.
25Therefore he hath poured 72upon him 73the fury of his anger, and 74the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet 75he knew not; and it 76burned him, yet 77he laid it not to heart.
72 Or, upon them. Hebr. upon him, and so in the sequel, namely, upon Jacob, or upon Israel, as appears from verse 24.
73 That is, His punishments. See the annotation Psalm 79 on verse 6.
74 The army of the Assyrians, and other enemies.
75 That is, the Israelites regarded not the judgments of God, and its causes.
76 That is, He has destroyed them by many smarting miseries and calamities.
77 That is, the Israelites regarded not the judgments of God, and its causes.